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A handful of states could set up ACA Exchanges after King v. Burwell

It’s been difficult not to notice that a lot of states are having terrible experiences with their ObamaCare exchanges. In fact, a recent Washington Post article reports that “Nearly half of the 17 insurance marketplaces set up by the states and the District under President Obama’s health law are struggling financially.”

In a previous post, we mentioned that this fact should hinder attempts from state officials to establish a state exchange in the event that King v. Burwell eliminates the federal subsidies.

Regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision, nothing will change for the 16 states already running their own exchange. Also, Arizona recently passed legislation prohibiting the establishment of an exchange, so that 17 states will not be directly affected by King.

Thus, 33 states would lose federal subsidies if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs. At least 16 of these states appear to be led by officials who will make a strong push to establish an exchange in order to retain the subsidies.

If you happen to live in one of these states, it may be in your interest to contact state officials and tell them not to establish an ObamaCare exchange, even if King strikes down the federal subsidies.

After all, this is a problem the federal government created. It would be irresponsible to call on state governments to clean up a mess they didn't create. If state leaders end up caving into the pressure to establish an exchange, then ObamaCare repeal will become an even more arduous mission than it already is.

Did you also figure out that with the merger of Cigna and Athem (bluecross and blue shield) there are less insurance companies to have in an exchange thus driving up the price of the medical care for that exchange. There was a study done that most exchanges have only one provider offering insurance in that state thus "market drivers" do not take place in that state. It will be more expensive to get insurance in one state verses another. This could effect where to live in this country and other things like Jobs. I so hope that the individual mandate is struck down. The Government has no right to rope and tie the Public into ONE insurance company which is happening today!

A coalition of conservative leaders on Wednesday released essential principles that must guide any potential path forward for Congress to repeal Obamacare. The group agreed on a set of principles that Congress must adopt in any health care legislation considered later this year or in the future.

Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) recently rolled out a proposal to create another new entitlement program, Medicare Part E. This plan would put the federal government in direct competition with private health insurance companies by creating the so-called “public option.”

As the mandatory piece of federal expenditures consumes an ever-increasing percentage of the overall federal budget, Medicaid spending continues to rise within this mandatory piece. Many factors have contributed to skyrocketing Medicaid expenditures by the federal government, but much of this has not been to the benefit of those that Medicaid was enacted to help.

On behalf of our activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and representative and ask them to support the Repeal Insurance Plans of the Multi-State Program (RIP MSP) Act, S. 2221 and H.R. 4664, introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.). The bills would repeal the ObamaCare Multi-State Plan Program, which is a pathway to a public option.

Way back in 2012, the United States Supreme Court, in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, issued a landmark ruling that upheld the supposed constitutionality of ObamaCare by justifying the individual mandate as a proper exercise of Congress’s taxing power. This is what allowed ObamaCare to continue to be a drain on our economy and the American taxpayer.